Brujería
Brujería (魔術, Majutsu; lit.'' Spanish for "Witchcraft") is an archaic, outmoded style of magic originating from numerous towns and villages in the country of Desierto, used among the indigenous inhabitants and tribes that reside deep in the desert, and is described as one of the oldest methods of magic to ever exist. Originally used in mass by religious worshipers during the earliest days of spell casting, it utilizes magic through the use of an idol or other material objects representing a deity of religious worship or sacred images, gathering the magic of numerous people into a single object to activate a singular spell. Unfortunately, with the natural progression of magic, the practice of idol worship has been deemed outdated and relatively useless in today’s current time, considered impractical for use due to the non-existing casting and poor handling of spells that require a multitude of people to use.However, a rare few still continue the tradition of this practice, with Brujería being improved upon and refined over the course of time, with each iteration being passed down through the generations by countless users, to the point of being updated into today’s standard of magic. Description Nicknamed by wizards outside the circle of practitioners in the modern era as '''Idol Magic' (アイドルマジック, Aidoru Majikku), it is categorized as a both a Holder Magic and Caster Magic art, with Brujería requiring that the caster use some sort of effigy or statue to channel their magic into, producing spells and abilities unique to the nature of the idol in their possession. In terms of use, the idol in question gains its powers depending on what it depicts for worship, typically portraying deities, spirits, or demons that it embodies or represents. For maximum effectiveness, most wizards use idols that are already in the possession of magical properties for the sake of doubling the natural effectiveness of the art, applying their powers through the use of figures such as totems, poppets, ushabti, or Nkisi. As its name suggests, to activate, a wizard is required to be in the possession of some sort of figure/idol made to represent a person or entity, that enables them to cast spells from, usually with the aide coming from them to cast magic outward unto others, either for beneficial or negative effects. In most cases, the exact nature of what they depict plays a tremendous role in how and what they receive as magic—the imagery can be divided into multiple categories: spirits, people, demons, and deities. As a sacred object, they represent a symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, typically containing large volumes of magic due to the history it has as being utilized as an object of worship by large masses of people, making it a tool very compatible with combining and mixing the user’s magic into. The material, detail, and history behind it also provides certain factors in how it can function, bearing an array of designs that depict animals, people, and supernatural beings that determine how they can support the user in the form of conjuring positive or negative effects upon the caster and those around them. In general, the belief that these misanthropic objects of worship in of itself has or embodies a spirit with inherent powers stored deep inside them isn’t exactly how they function when used; they serve more as beacons that signals whatever entity is linked to the idol in their possession, calling down support from a distance at a moment's notice. Brujería tends to connote into a highly spiritual art reserved mostly to wizards who demonstrates a high compatibility to the more spiritual aspects of magic that is generally practiced by religious figures or white mages that focus on support and healing. With the object alone, the user can achieve a number of feats depending on the how well adept they are in utilizing the spiritual aspects of their idols and their unique properties, such as applying the abilities of an idol to communicate with the dead or with one’s ancestors, enabling them to increase the efficacy of their powers to an exceptional degree as a result from borrowing their strength. As such, Brujería can be seen as a somewhat questionable skill for a wizard to obtain, being seen as one of the more “unorthodox” methods of spell casting used by some of society's less refutable individuals, such as witch doctors or the local shaman. With the vast majority of practitioners falling into professions of these types, it is often looked over and does not count as a mainstream magical art that can be learned from through conventional means, meaning that tutelage coming from a town healer is one of the most common methods of learning. However, before one can begin casting magic, a wizard is required to be in the possession of some form of object used to associate oneself with a higher being, drawing magic and powers belonging exclusively to said entity via an idol of special significance. Depending on the type used, different effects can be triggered upon activation, from simply healing/protecting others from dark magic, injuring/cursing adversaries with hexes, or utilizing spiritual forces to provide strength/support in boosting one’s own natural abilities. A common example of this can be found in the use of a Nkisi by all manner of healers and diviners, a special type of idol designed to defend the living against and while at the same time provide them with remedies against diseases resulting either from witchcraft or spirits. However, depending on the style in which the user chooses to be their main focuses of casting, their method of fighting and defending can drastically vary from person to person. Divided into two classes of application, passive or aggressive, each serving their own role to fill in order to fill the user’s necessities in battle. By taking the assertive route in using Brujería in a more hostile manner, the user can deliver a consecutive burst of debilitating curses and hexes, while firing bursts of magical blasts/beams from the idol itself, focusing primarily on manipulating the battlefield to their favor by shifting the numerous aspects of it. Many such cases result in the user simply activating them by driving iron nails through these human-like statues, hence inflicting pain unto others from a relatively safe distance. Although they can be made in many forms, the ones featuring a human form with nails are the best suited to be evoked to search out wrongdoings, enforce oaths, and cause or cure illnesses. Contrary to popular belief, Brujería shares a closer side that is closely associated to magic in an almost religious manner, channeling more than simply the user’s magic power to produce spells, rather, they require a high level of spiritual input in the form of prayers and faith, employing their spell casting in tandem with chants and invocations while waving their idol in place. Clerics, as well as most priests adept in magic use this art to create an idol in the image of a specific God or saint that is reflective to their faith, drawing upon them in order to produce what is known as “miracles”. It has been regarded that some of the most accomplished practitioners of Brujería have all been members of some sort of religious order or organization at some point in their life, concentrating their efforts with this magic with the intent of portraying the role of holy soldiers in the service of the church, hence their high affinity and relationship with a given entity. By taking the route of clerics, their idols become well versed having the power to heal wounds, protect allies, as well as summon, manipulate and banish undead. As a test of faith, the user is permanently bound to carry the object that corresponds to the entity in which they’ve placed their devotion to, requiring the user to form a pact with a being of a higher power, giving the user the extraordinary ability to cast miracles after saying a prayer, triggering blessings to be placed upon certain objects or around people. Idol Types *'Totem' (トーテム, Tōtemu): *'Poppet' (ポペット, Popetto): *'Ushabti' (ユサビ, Yusabi): *'Nkisi' (ニキシ, Nikishi): Spells *'Idol Prayer' (アイドル祈り, Aidoru Inori): *'Malediction Verse' (刑事訴訟, Keiji Soshō): *'Miracle Oath' (奇跡の宣誓, Kiseki no Sensei): Trivia Category:Caster Magic Category:Holder Magic